Mourinho: I can win the Premier League with Manchester United… if City are stripped of their 2018 title | Jose Mourinho

José Mourinho has jokingly hinted that he could be hoping for a fourth Premier League medal after finishing second with Manchester United in 2018 if Manchester City are stripped of the title.

Mourinho, whose Fenerbahce team host his former club in the Europa League on Thursday, also said he believed United had given Erik ten Hag “confidence and stability” that he did not have at Old Trafford.

Mourinho was sacked by United a week before Christmas 2018, despite winning the Europa League and League Cup in his first season and finishing second in the league a year later – 19 points behind City – which Mourinho described as one of his best performances. City could be stripped of their titles following the hearing over alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. The club denies wrongdoing.

Asked if United had changed, Mourinho said: “Honestly, I haven’t thought about it for a minute. I wish Man United all the best since I left. I left with a good feeling for the club, a good feeling for the fans and I want the best for them. So if they're not doing well, that doesn't make me happy.

“But at the same time I don't have time and it doesn't make sense for me to think about what happened and what didn't happen.

“What has certainly happened, because it is very objective, is that they continue to trust the coach [Ten Hag]They support the coach, the coach stays season after season and that means stability, it means trust. They give him conditions so that he can develop his job further.

“It was different for me because we won the Europa League and came second in the Premier League. I think we still have a chance to win this league because they might have to punish Man City with points and pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”

Mourinho, who revealed that the Football Association had not approached him about becoming England's new coach, said United and Tottenham should be considered favorites for the Europa League, even though United started with draws against Porto and Twente.

“This new format will allow the top teams to qualify,” he said. “It's not a problem for a top team to lose three or four out of eight games, because then they win three or four, easily get twelve points and qualify.” Now if I have to say who are the two biggest candidates for winning the Europa League, it's simple: Man United and Tottenham.

“Premier League is a different level of quality, a different intensity, a different pace, a different tactical culture, a different level of everything. So tomorrow we’ll play against one of the two strongest teams.”

Mourinho's last job in England ended with his sacking by Tottenham just days before they were due to face City in the 2021 Carabao Cup final. This summer he signed a two-year deal with Fenerbahce worth a reported £10m per season, but hinted he would like to return to the Premier League one day.

Asked why he thinks United continue to struggle under Ten Hag, Mourinho said: “Maybe you English people think I'm bluffing and playing mind games.” I'm not playing anything: they have a better team than the results show.

“I studied them as much as I could. We looked at everything in the Premier League, Twente and Porto – there is work there.

“You will succeed sooner or later. Hopefully sooner and before I return to the Premier League one day and they become my opponents. At the moment they are only my opponents for one game.”